Dame Vera Lynn Translational Research Fellowship

Candidates for the Dame Vera Lynn Translational Fellowships may be working in any discipline or clinical specialty, but they should be able to clearly demonstrate that the project will lead to advances in the understanding or treatment of breast cancer, and have a clear potential for benefit to patients with breast cancer.

Awards will be for up to three years in duration and will cover salary, research expenses and essential equipment. Collaborative applications from within UK will be welcomed providing the contracted grant (and associated funding arrangements) are at the Lead Applicant's institution. Academic or clinical collaborators from outside the UK are permitted. 

Fellowships are available to clinically-qualified candidates in the UK and must be undertaken within a high-quality laboratory research environment under the direction of an established breast cancer researcher.

We are looking for talented and motivated clinically qualified candidates who are passionate about breast cancer research, have a strong academic track record and hold full GMC registration or equivalent. The scheme is open to both pre-doctoral and post-doctoral applicants.

Eligibility criteria for pre-doctoral applicants:

• The Dame Vera Lynn Translational Fellowships will support a discrete piece of work which will lead to a PhD. Applicants should demonstrate ownership of their project and ambition to aspire to a clinical academic career, but are not expected to have started their PhD.
• Applicants should be at an appropriate point in their clinical training to undertake a PhD, and should have clear plans for the completion of their specialty training. Applicants should consult their deanery about undertaking a postgraduate research degree before developing an application.
• For pre-doctoral applicants, the scheme provides full salary support, allowing fellows protected time to concentrate on their research, training and development. Please contact the Breast Cancer Now research funding team (grants_admin@breastcancernow.org) to discuss any requirements to continue limited clinical work during the duration of the fellowship.

Eligibility criteria for post-doctoral applicants:

• The Dame Vera Lynn Translational Fellowship scheme also offers applicants, who have previously obtained a doctoral degree (or equivalent), the opportunity to continue their research training at a post-doctoral level.
• Applicants for the post-doctoral scheme must be clinically qualified and must have completed a postgraduate research degree.
• For post-doctoral applicants, the fellowships are aimed at providing protected research time. However, if you wish to continue your training or other clinical activities, you should contact Breast Cancer Now (grants_admin@breastcancernow.org) to discuss a part-time fellowship, with the costs shared with your clinical employer. The expectation is that at least 70% of your time will be spent on research. Applicants who wish to spend more time than this in the clinic, should contact Breast Cancer Now to discuss options before applying.

Eligibility criteria for all applicants:

• Applicants may be working in any discipline, clinical specialty or area of research, but they should be able to clearly demonstrate that the project will lead to advances in the understanding or treatment breast cancer, and have a clear benefit for breast cancer patients.
• Prospective Fellows should nominate a supervisor. The supervisor will be asked to complete a section within the grant application form.
• The prospective Fellow and Supervisor must be based in a UK academic/research institution. However, the application can include collaborators from outside the UK.
• Fellowships must be undertaken within a high-quality laboratory research environment under the direction of an established breast cancer researcher.
• Applicants are asked to approach potential supervisors directly and indicate that they are interested in jointly developing a project and applying for the fellowship. Applications must be made by the prospective fellow. 
• Prospective Fellows’ Supervisors must be able to demonstrate that their contract covers the duration of the grant.
• Applicants at consultant grade will not be considered.
• International applicants are welcome, but funds to cover the extra cost of international tuition fees must be sought from elsewhere.
• Awards will include the salary of the Fellow (medical appointments will be made according to the University's standard clinical pay scale), and research consumables directly attributable to the project. These will usually be no more than £20,000 per year, but larger amounts will be considered if fully justified.
• The duration of the award will be for 3 years. Awards may be held on a part-time basis to meet personal commitments. For proposed duration of longer than 3 years please contact the Breast Cancer Now research funding team (grants_admin@breastcancernow.org)

All applicants will write their own application for support of a research project. Breast Cancer Now’s Grants Committee will review applications based on their scientific merit, the importance of the question being asked, the validity of the science proposed, and the cost effectiveness of the proposal. In addition, we will also consider the potential of the candidate to become a competitive researcher, the quality of the environment in which the award is to be held, and the support provided by the host institution to help develop the candidate's career in research. A successful fellow is expected to act as a representative and ambassador for Breast Cancer Now.

You should select the most appropriate environment and host institution based on your research needs. This can include access to expertise, resources and equipment. During your Fellowship, you can spend time abroad or in industry if this is scientifically justified.

All grants must be held in an academic institution in the UK.

We will not accept:

• Research into conditions other than breast cancer. However, we will accept applications for co-morbidity projects.
• Applications for methods or service development

Funding available

The grant will pay for:

• The salary of the fellow (medical appointments should be made according to the University's standard clinical pay scale.)
• PhD registration fees at the UK/EU rate (for pre-doctoral applicants)
• College Fees (for pre-doctoral applicants, if applicable)
• Conference related costs
• Running expenses for the project (up to £20,000 per year, but larger amounts will be considered if fully justified.)
• Small items of equipment

We will consider applications for research that will take place within the NHS. Please refer to ‘Attributing the cost of health and social care Research and Development’ (AcoRD) guidelines here when completing an application for research taking place within the NHS.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to confirm their eligibility by contacting the research funding team at Breast Cancer Now before completing an application form. Please contact us at grants_admin@breastcancernow.org.

Once the deadline has passed there will be no opportunity to debate individual circumstances and applications not meeting the requirements will be rejected without peer review.   

If you require a visa to work in the UK, you may qualify for the accelerated Global Talent Visa route. The Global Talent Visa is open for promising and talented individuals in specific sectors wishing to work in the UK.

Please read the full application guidelines here. Applications should be made using our online Grant Tracker system. You must complete all sections of the application form. The lead applicant, supervisor, collaborators, Head of Department and the University/Institution Research Grants office (or finance office if not applicable) must complete the relevant sections of the form online in order to submit the application.

Applications will be reviewed by external peer reviewers. A subgroup of Breast Cancer Now’s Grants Committee members will review the applications and peer reviewers’ comments and shortlist candidates for interview.

You will be informed of interview dates upon submission of grant application. Please keep this date free in your diary and we will inform you as soon as possible whether you have been successfully shortlisted.

Application guidelines

Grant application system

Grants Committee members

Candidates are strongly encouraged to confirm their eligibility by contacting the research funding team at Breast Cancer Now before completing an application form.

Please contact us at grants_admin@breastcancernow.org.